FATAL CARTRIDGE ACCIDENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 338, 16 November 1915, Page 4

FATAL CARTRIDGE ACCIDENT.

A CHRISTCHURCH GIRL KILLED. An inquest was held at Christchurch on the body, of Irene Lillian Ranslej, aged 15 years, of Woolston, who died as the result of a wound in the throat caused by the explosion of a blank cartridge. From the evidence, it appeared that the girl and several other i children were playing in the street in front of her parents’ heme. A boy named Henry William Williams produced some blank cartridges which had been served out to his brother who was in •amp at Trentham. The girl was very anxious to possess these cartridges and to experiment with them, and af>er some demur the lad gave her fmr of them. She then, in spite of WUUims’ warning, pkiced a cartridge on the footpath and lit several matches round it, standing some two yards a wav to watch the result. The cartridge exploded, the case being blown to fragments, one of which penetrated her throat, near the jugular vein. She gave a scream and ran towards the next door house, but just as she got ins.vle the gate she fell, bleeding profusely from the wound. Medical assistance was at once summoned, and Dr Temple and Dr Pairman arrived and, after plugging the wound, despatched her with her father, Albert Edward lo the Hospital. She, before reaching the institution. After hearing the evidence of the father and J. the boy Williams the Coroner recorded \ a verdict of death due to haemorrhage caused by a wound in the throat front a blank cartridge.